Means for feeding paperboard blanks



Feb. 28, 1961 y 2,973,201

MEANS FOR FEEDING PAPERBOARD BLANKS Filed Sept. 10, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

HCAMO/YD 6. Gf/VTRY ATTORNb KS' Feb. 28, 1961 -my 2,973,201

MEANS FOR FEEDING PAPERBOARD BLANKS Filed Sept. 10, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 HERMO/VD G. GENT/FY BY flier i A TTOR/YEVS Feb. 28, 1961 H. ca. GENTRY 2,973,201

MEANS FOR FEEDING PAPERBOARD BLANKS Filed Sept; 10, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet s ENTOR.

BY HCAMO/VD G. GbVVTRV Feb. 28, 1961 H. G. GENTRY MEANS FOR FEEDING PAPERBOARD BLANKS 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 10, 1959 IIIIIIIIA m III) INVENTOR. HERMONO 6. GENTRY BY fifzr a @w A TTORNL-Z KS H. G. GENTRY MEANS FOR FEEDING PAPERBOARD BLANK-S Feb. 28, 1961 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 10, 1959 DIRECTION OF CHAIN STRUCTURE TRAVEL L INVENTOfiT HERMOND 6. GENTBY 7 Sheets-$heet 6 Feb. 28, 1961 H. G. GENTRY MEANS FOR FEEDING PAPERBOARD BLANKS Filed Sept. 0, 1959 DIRECTION OF CHAIN S TRUC TUPE TF4 VEL INVENTOR. f/fiRMO/VD 6. Gin 77?) BY nrroe NE Y;

Feb. 28, 1961 H. G. GENTRY MEANS FOR FEEDING PAPERBOARD BLANKS Filed Sept. 10, 1959 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 cups S 5779,97 RE TURN UP L DOWN VACUUM V4414: cam

Pl/SHEI? PUSHEI? $741? rs RE TURNS our IN PUG/45 R CAM INVENTOR. HERMO/YD 6-. GENTRV BY MEANS FOR FEEDING PAPERBOARD BLANKS Hermond G. Gentry, Atlanta, (33., assignor, by mesne amignments, to The Mead Corporation, Dayton, (line, a corporation of Qhio Filed Sept. 10, 1959, Ser. No. 839,204

9 Claims. (Cl. 271-12) This invention relates to means for feeding paperboard blanks, and more particularly to, a uniquely arranged feeding means of this sort for separating successively from a stacked supply of paperboard blanks the succeeding lowermost blanks thereof while providing for handling readily a wide range in shape and size of blank without requiring complicated change over adjustments, and while further making it possible to feed the blanks cfifectively without limiting the operating speed of associated equipment in which the fed blanks are to be handled.

The blank feeding means of the present invention is generally characterized by a continuously moving endless chain structure having a width exceeding that of the blanks to be fed and formed with regularly spaced transverse gaps therein at a spacing exceeding the length of the blanks. This chain structure is disposed with a reach presenting an upwardly facing surface, and gripping means is arranged adjacent this reach to operate in timed relation for successive extension through each gap in the chain structure to grip a blank adjacent an edge thereof at the upwardly facing surface of the chain structure and to pull the gripped-blank edge portion below the chain structure for transfer of the entire blank through the gap as the chain structure continues to move.

By this arrangement it is possible to proportion the chain structure for accommodating a wide range of blank shapes and sizes and to provide a suitable hopper structure or the like for positioning a particular blank in relation thereto, while making the hopper structure adjustable or replaceable for diflerent shapes and sizes of blanks so as not to require any change whatever in the operating arrangement of the chain structure itself for dilierent blanks. Also, the blank feeding means of the present invention lends itself well to operation in banks so as to allow installation of multiple units in parallel for aggregate feeding of equipment in which the fed blanks are to be handled, and thereby permit the handling equipment to be operated at its optimum speed without limitation by the operating speed of any one blank feeding unit.

The blank feeding means of the present invention is adapted for use generally in association with any equipment to which it is desired to feed paperboard blanks serially, and is described in further detail below for purposes of illustration in relation to a representative embodiment arranged for use in packaging equipment of the type disclosed in copending application Serial No. 9,723, filed February 19, 1960, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of packaging equipment having blank feeding means embodying the present invention associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is m enlarged detail of the blank feeding means as seen from the left in Fig. 1; g

Fig. 3 is a further detail of the blank feeding means corresponding generally to Fig. 2 but taken in section substantially at the line 3-4: in Fig. 1;.

plate member 24 plate member 23;

2,973,201 Patented F eb. 28, 1961 Pi 7 is a section detail taken substantially at the line 7-7 'm Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a plan detail of the hopper structure of the blank feeding means; and

Fig. 9 is a cam chart.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate generally the arrangement of packaging equipment such as is illustrated and described further in the above noted copending application Serial No. 9,723,. this packaging equipment having the various operating mechanisms thereof arranged on a suitable frame structure it), and, for present purposes, being characterized by a continuously moving carrier means ll. formed by a pair of sprocket chains 12 extended between, respectively, driven and idler sprocket wheels 13 and 14 and carrying regularly spaced sets of positioning and forming lugs 15 and to at which paperboard blanks B, such as are disclosed in detail and claimed in copending application Serial No. 774,755, filed November 18, 1958, may be successively received and fed serially past the several operating mechanisms of the packaging equipment, as disclosed in the previously mentioned copending application Serial No. 9,723, for forming the blanks B to packagetorm as described in both of the above noted copending applications. i

The blank feeding means. of the, present invention, as indicated generally by the reference numeral 17, is. ar-

" ranged in the illustrated embodiment to feed paperboard blanks B successively to the above described carrier means 11 for serial handling in the. packagingequipment. For this purpose, the blank feeding means 17 comprises a continuously moving endless chain structure formed by a pair of sprocket chains 18, disposed over pairs of sprocket wheels 19 and 2b; the sprocket Wheels lb being carried on a driven shaft 19' that is operated continuously through suitable driving connections from the main drive of the packaging equipment in timed re.- lation to the continuously moving carrier means 11, and the sprocket wheels 20 being mounted on an idler shaft 21 from which a gear train runs, as seen in Fig. 2, for driving a cam shaft 22;. The disposition of the chain structure sprocket chains 13 over the sprocket wheels 19 and 2b is transverse with respect to the previously mentioned packaging equipment carrier means 11,, and the sprocket chains l8 have, the upper andlower reaches thereof disposed respectively on supporting track bars 18, and 1% above and below the upper reach of the carrier means 11.

The chain structure of the blank feeding means 17 is further formed with related leading and trailing' plate members 23 and 24 (see Figs. 3 and 5) that extend betweenand are carried by the sprocket chains 18 to form regularly spaced transverse gaps in the chain structure. The transverse spacing between the sprocketchains 18 is proportioned to exceed the. width of the blanks B that are to be fed, and the regularly spaced transverse gaps formed between the related leading and trailing plate members 23 andZd are arranged at a spacing exceeding the length of the structure of the blank feeding means 17 is, otherwise completed by bar or roddike filler members 25, secured between the sprocket chains 18 in relatively closely spaced relation from the trailing edge of each; trailing to the leading edge of each leading blanks B to be fed; The chain In relation to this continuously moving endless chain structure, the blank feeding means 17 has gripping means, such as suction cups 26, fixed by clamp members 27 on a carrienrod 28 that extends between crossheads 29 arranged on vertical slide bars 3:!)v mounted at each side of thechain structure (see Figs. 2andl3). The crosslieads29 have connecting rods 31 extending therefrom to rocker arms 32, carried by a rock shaft 33 that also carries a cam follower arm 34 arranged for actuation by a cam 35 on the previously mentionedv cam shaft 22, and from which cam 35 the suction cups 26 are actuated in timed relation for extension upwardly through each transverse gap in the continuously moving chain structure of the blank feeding means 17 to grip .a blank B thereabove and pull the gripped blank downwardly through the transverse gap at which it is extended, so as to efiect transfer of the entire blank through this gap as the chain structure continues to move; a suitable vacuum system (not shown) being provided and controlled to impress a gripping suction on the cups 26 upon upward extension thereof and to release this suction when the blank transfer is completed (see Fig. 9).

Provision for arranging the paperboard blanks B above the chain structure of the blank feeding means 17 so that they may be gripped and transferred downwardly through the transverse gaps in the chain structure in the above described manner is made by means of a hopper structure formed by a plurality of upright guide bars 36, that are preferably mounted for adjustment to the particular shape and size of the blank B to be fed and some or all of which have ball elements or retainers 37 fitted at the lower end thereof (see Figs. 3 and 4) for supporting a stacked supply of paper board blanks B within the hopper structure, while allowing downward release of the lowermost blank B therefrom under the pull of the suction cups 26; the hopper structure thus formed being located so that the stacked supply of blanks B therein is positioned to have the lowermost blank B gripped by the suction cups 26 adjacent the blank edge facing in the direction opposite to the direction in which the chain structure moves continuously (see Fig.8). c The leading and trailing plate members 23 and 24 between which the transverse chain structure gaps are formed each preferably have a special form for facilitating the downward transfer of the gripped blanks B through these gaps. In this respect, the leading plate members 23 are specially formed (see Figs. and 6) with rearwardly opening slots 33 that are aligned with the suction cups 26 and allow advanced upward extension of the suction cups therethrough at each transverse gaps in the chain structure, so as to lessen the necessary gap spacing between the plate members 23 and 24. The trailing plate members 24 are inturn specially formed (see Figs. 5 and 7) with a downwardly angled forward edge portion 39 for displacing the blanks B below the chain structure as they are transferred downwardly through'the transverse gaps therein, and further have a pair of spaced ribs .9 fixed at the upper face thereof in alignment with the direction of chain structure movement for maintaining the remainder of the stacked supply of blanks B disposed upwardly within the hopper structure as each lowermost blank B is transferred therefrom.

During such transfer of a blank B through a transverse "gap in the chain structure, the gripped edge of the blank :13 being transferred is held by the suction cups 26 until the transfer is completed to lay the opposite blank edge portion on a shelf-like supporting member 41 that is disposed below the upper reach of the chain structure and level withthe path of an oncoming set of positioning lugs '15 of the packaging equipment carrier means 11. Initially, .howevenwhile still gripped by the suction cups 26, the Itransferrcd blank B is located sidewise, towards the suc- Qtion cups 26, of true alignment with the path of carrier lmans 11. This initialsidewise misalignment is purposely provided so that as soon as the gripped blank h has been transferred entirely through the chain structure gap, and the grip of the suction cups 26 has been released, it may be displaced laterally into true alignment with the path of the carrier means 11 and thereby shifted out of the vertical extension path of the suction cups 26 to permit commencement of a succeeding extension of the suction cups 26 while the oncoming positioning lugs 15 of the carrier means 11 finally approach to engage the transferred blank B and carry it off for handling by the successive operating mechanisms of the packaging equipment.

In order to accomplish this lateral displacement of.

each transferred blank from its initially gripped position to its desired position of true alignment with the packaging equipment carrier means 11, at least one pivoted pusher arm 42 is disposed on a rock shaft 42' for oscillation adjacent the gripped edge portion of each transverse blank B and has a connecting rod 43 running therefrom to one arm of a bell crank 44- which has its other arm arranged for following an actuating cam 45 carried by the previously mentioned cam shaft 22 to cause timed oscillation of the pusher arm 42 so as to etfect the sidewise displacement of each transferred blank B in proper sequence as indicated by the cam chart of Fig. 9. Upon such displacement, the transferred blank B is shifted to complete overlying disposition on the supporting member 41 for sidewise location between the carrying bracket 46 therefor and an opposite side guide member 47 (see Fig. 3), and is carried off therefrom by the positioning lugs 15 of the carrier means 11 on an extending support arm 48 that guards against sagging of the blank B in relation to the carrier means positioning lugs 15 and forming lugs 16 as the first operating mechanism of the packaging equipment is approached.

The present invention has been described in detail above for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to be limited by this description or otherwise except as defined in the appended claims.

, I claim: 7 p

1. Means of the character described for separating successively from a stacked supply of paperboard blanks the succeeding lowermost blanks thereof, said means comprising a continuously moving endless chain structure, said chain structure having a width exceeding that'of said blanks and being formed with regularly spaced transverse gaps therein at a spacing exceeding the length of said blanks, and gripping means operable in timed relation for extension successively through each gap in said chain structure to grip the side face of a blank adjacent an edge portion thereof at one face of a reach of said chain structure and pull the gripped blank edge portion to the other face of said chain structure at said reach for transfer of the entire blank through said gap as said chain structure continues to move.

2. Means of the character described for separating successively from a stacked supply of paperboard blanks the succeeeding lowermost blanks thereof, said means comprising: a continuously moving endless chain structure; said chain structure having a width exceeding that of said blanks, being formed with regularly spaced transverse gaps therein at a spacing exceeding the length of said blanks, and being disposed with a reach thereof presenting an upwardly facing surface; and gripping means operable in timed relation for successive extension upwardly through each gap in said chain structure to grip the side face of a blank adjacent an edge portion thereof above said upwardly facing surface of said chain structure and ,pull the gripped blank edge portion downwardly below said chain structure at said reach for transfor of the entireblank through said gap as said chain structure continues to move. I

3. Means of the character described for separating successively from a stacked supply of paperboard blanks the succeeding lowermost blank thereof, said means comprising'a continuously imoving endless chain structure,

said chain structure having a width exceeding that of said blanks and being formed with regularly spaced transverse gaps therein at a spacing exceeding the length of said blanks, and said chain structure being disposed with a reach presenting an upwardly facing surface, means for positioning a stacked supply of paperboard blanks at the upwardly facing surface of said chain structure, and gripping means operable in timed relation for successive extension upwardly through each gap in said chain structure at said upwardly facing surface to grip the lower side face of the lowermost blank of a stacked supply positioned thereat adjacent the edge of said lowermost blank facing in the direction opposite to the direction in which said chain structure moves continuously, said gripping means being further operable to pull the gripped blank edge portion downwardly below said chain structure at said reach for transfer of the entire blank through said gap as said chain structure continues to move.

4. Means of the character described as defined in claim 3 and further characterized in that said gripping means comprises suction cups mounted for reciprocation on an axis perpendicular to said chain structure at said reach.

5. Means of the character described as defined in claim 3 and further characterized in that said positioning means comprises a hopper structure fitted at the bottom thereof with spaced ball elements disposed for supporting a stacked supply of paperboard blanks therein while allowing release of the lowermost blank therefrom under the pull of said gripping means.

6. Means of the character described as defined in claim 3 and further characterized in that the transverse gaps in said chain structure are formed between related leading and trailing plate members, the leading plate member having rearwardly opening slots formed therein in alignment with said gripping means for allowing advanced upward extension of said gripping means at each gap in said chain structure, and the trailing plate member being angled downwardly toward its forward edge for displacing said blanks below said chain structure as they are transferred through said gaps and having a pair of spaced ribs fixed at the upper face thereof in alignment with the direction of chain structure movement for maintaining the remainder of said stacked supply of blanks disposed upwardly within said positioning means as each lowermost blank is transferred therefrom.

7. Means of the character described as defined in claim 3 and further characterized in that said chain structure incorporates a pair of sprocket chains disposed over pairs of sprocket wheels, one pair of said sprocket wheels being driven, and said gripping means being actuated in relation to said driven sprocket wheels.

8. Means of the character described as defined in claim 7 and further characterized in that a pivoted pusher arm is actuated in relation to said driven sprocket wheels for oscillation adjacent the gripped edge portion of each lowermost blank transferred below said chain structure to bear laterally at the gripped edge of each such blank upon such transfer and thereby displace said blank laterally from the extension path of said gripping means to allow commencement of a succeeding extension thereof.

9. Means of the character described as defined in claim 3 and further characterized in that said chain structure is disposed at said reach transversely with respect to continuously moving carrier means for successively receiving said blanks upon transfer thereof through the gaps in said chain structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,395,232 Kronquest Oct. 25, 1921 1,787,077 Kruse Dec. 30, 1930 2,692,463 Wilcox et a1. Oct. 26, 1954 2,817,520 Gentry Dec. 24, 1957 

